TheDebateatValladolid,1550
(1) Lawsofconquest
(2) The“NewLaws,”1542
(3)JuanGinésdeSepúlveda,thelawyer
(4)Theproblemof“justwar”
(5)ThedebateatValladolid
(6)AOerValladolid
(1)LawsofConquest
derechoindiano:“lawoftheIndians”assembledfromroyal
decreesandjudges’decisions
vs.
requerimientoor“requirement” toannouncea
declaraVonofsovereignty
encomiendaor“giOintrust”:therighttoexacttribbute
fromconqueredpeoples
repar0mientoor“parVVon”:arotaVnglabourdraOto
meetpublicneeds.
(2)The“NewLaws,”1542
BartolomédelasCasas
1484-1566
religiouschallenge?
moralchallenge?
legalchallenge?
Chiapas
CharlesVofSpain,
InstrucVonsforValladolid:
(1)“todetermineasfarasyoucanwhether
theatrociVesreportedtomearetrue”
(2)“torecommendasuitableplanbywhich
suchevilsmightbeavoided”
(3)“toinquireintoanddeveloptheforms
andlawstopreachourHolyCatholicFaithin
theNewWorld”
(4)“toexaminehowthosepeoplemaybe
subjectedtoUs,withoutdamagetoOur
conscience,accordingtothebullof
Alexander.”
Excerptsfromthe“NewLaws”
Item,Weordainandcommandthatfrom
henceforwardfornocauseofwarnoranyother
whatsoever,thoughitbeunderVtleofrebellion,...
cananIndianbemadeaslave...
Also,Wecommandthatwithregardtothelading
[carryingofburdens]ofthesaidIndiansthe
Audiencias[courts]takeespecialcarethattheybe
notladen,orincasethatinsomepartsthiscannot
beavoidedthatitbeinsuchamannerthatnoriskof
life,healthandpreservaVonofthesaidIndiansmay
ensuefromanimmoderateburden...
Wecommandthatfromallthosepersonswhohold
IndianswithoutproperVtle,...suchIndiansbe
takenawayandbeplacedunderourRoyal
Crown....
(3)JuanGinesdeSepúlveda,1490-1573
authorof:
Democratesalter,siveDejus0sbellicausis
apudIndios
[ASecondDemocritus,orOntheJustCauses
ofWaragainsttheIndians]
(4)TheQuesVonof“JustWar”
jusadbellum
“therighttogotowar”
jusinbello
“rightconductinwar”
(5)TheDebateatValladolid
JuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:
(1)“thatthesepeoplearebarbaric,uninstructedin
leiersandtheartofgovernment,andcompletely
ignorant,unreasoning,andtotallyincapableoflearning
anything...;aresunkinvice,arecruel...
“thattheIndiansareobligedbynaturallawtoobeythose
whoareoutstandinginvirtueandcharacter...
“thatiftheIndians,oncewarned,refusetoobeythis
legiVmatesovereignty,theycanbeforcedtodosofor
theirownwelfare.
JuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:
(2)“thattheIndians,eventhoughunwilling,must
accepttheSpanishyokesothattheymaybecorrected
andbepunishedfortheirsinsandcrimesagainstdivine
andnaturallaw...,especiallytheiridolatryandthe
impiouscustomofhumansacrifice...
(3)“thattheinjuriesandextrememiserywhichthe
Indiansusedtoinflictand...sVllinflicttodayonagreat
numberofpersons,whomtheyusedtosacrificeeach
yeartotheevilspirit,shouldbestopped....
“thatallwhocandosoareheldbynaturalanddivine
lawtodefendanyandallpersonsfromsuchinjuries,for
allmenareneighbourstooneanotherand
brothers....
JuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:
(4)“thatoncethoseregionshavebeenbroughtunder
control,thegospelofChristcanbepreachedby
consecratedmensafelyandwithoutdanger....
“thatitistotallyjust,aswellasmostbeneficialtothese
barbarians,thattheybeconqueredandbroughtunder
theruleoftheSpaniards,whoareworshippersof
Christ....
“thatAlexanderVI...declaredarmedexpediVons
againsttheIndianstobejust,thatheallowedtheKings
ofCasVletoconquerthemandaddthemtotheir
empire....
BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:
(1)“thatitisunlawfultoforcetheIndianstothe
faithbywar,orbythemisfortunesofwartomake
themhatetheChrisVanreligion,bywhose
preachingtheyseesomanyregreiableevils
inflictedonthem.
BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:
(2)“thatAlexanderVIcommendedFerdinandand
Isabella’sproposaltosubjectthenaVveandinhabitants
tothemselvesandtoleadthemtotheCatholicfaith,...
“thattheysubjugatethemforthefaithinawayinwhich
oneshouldsubjugateamostcivilized,sincere,naked,
docile,decent,andpeacefulpeople...
“that‘subjugate’shouldbeinterpretedas
‘dispose’...foritwasveryeasyforourrulersto
subjectthatpeopletotheirauthoritywithoutthe
disturbancesofwar.
BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:
(3)“Thekingsarecommandedtohaveastheir
purposeleadingtheIndianstothefaith.Itis
grantedthatsubjecVontotheirruleisfipngand
helpfulforaiainingthispurpose;sVllitmustbe
proporVonateandsuitedtothatpurpose,whichis
specificallythespreadofthegloryofthedivine
nameandtheconversionofthosepeoples....
(4)“Warisnotasuitablemeansforspreading
Christ’sgloryandthetruthofthegospel....
“Sincewarshouldnotbewagedunlesstherehas
firstbeenaprovocaVonbythepersonagainst
whomwarfareisbeingpreparedtowardtheone
whoiswagingthewar,itfollowsthatwaragainst
theIndiansisunlawful.
BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:
(5)TheKingsofCasVlecanneitherdirectlynor
indirectlydoanythingthatisopposedtothespiritualor
eventhetemporaldevelopmentofthosepeoples.
Thereforetheword“subject,”ascontainedinthepapal
bull,hastobeunderstoodinacivilizedandChrisVan
way....
ThePope’sintenVonwasthatthosepeoplesbeledto
thefaithbymeekness,charity,holyconduct,andthe
wordofGod,notbywar,ofwhichthePopenever
dreamed.... *
TheArgumentsatValladolid
SEPULVEDAarguedfortheneedfor:
(1)externalmoralauthority
(2)correcVveacVon
(3)responsibilitytoprotect
(4)beneficialconquest
LASCASASarguedfortheneedfor:
(1)illegalityofwarwithoutprovocaVon
(2)equaltreatment
(3)proporVonality
(4)rightofindependentdevelopment
(6)AOerValladolid
Brevísimarelacióndela
destruicióndelasIndias[Short
accountofthedestrucVonofthe
Indies],1552
LasCasas’handcopyof
Columbus’diaryoffirstvoyage
IllustraVonsof“TheBlackLegend”
byJoostdeWinghe,publishedin
HollandbyTheodordeBry(1596)